World Moon Phase
World Moon Phase Directory

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Anchorage, AK Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Baton Rouge, LA Bogota, Colombia Boise, ID Boston, MA Bridgeport, CT Buenos Aires, AR Calgary, Canada Charlotte, NC Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH Dallas, TX Denver, CO Des Moines, IA Detroit, MI Edmonton, Canada Honolulu, HI Houston, TX Huntsville, AL Indianapolis, IN Jackson, MS Kingston, Jamaica Las Vegas, NV Lima, Peru Little Rock, AR Los Angeles, CA Louisville, KY Mexico City, MX Miami, FL Milwaukee, WI Minneapolis, MN Moab, UT Montreal, Canada Nashville, TN New York, NY Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE Ottawa, Canada Panama City Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Portland, OR Quebec City, Canada San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Santiago, Chile Sao Paulo, Brazil Seattle, WA Sedona, AZ Toronto, Canada Vancouver, Canada Washington, DC Wichita, KS Wilmington, DE
Accra, Ghana Addis Ababa, ET Amsterdam, NL Antwerp, Belgium Athens, Greece Barcelona, Spain Belgrade, Serbia Berlin, Germany Birmingham, UK Brussels, Belgium Bucharest, RO Budapest, Hungary Cairo, Egypt Cape Town, SA Casablanca, MA Copenhagen, DK Dublin, Ireland Edinburgh, UK Glasgow, UK Glastonbury, UK Hamburg, Germany Helsinki, Finland Istanbul, Turkey Lagos, Nigeria Lisbon, Portugal Liverpool, UK London, UK Luxembourg Marrakesh, Morocco Nairobi, Kenya Naples, Italy Oslo, Norway Paris, France Pisa, Italy Prague, Czechia Reykjavik, Iceland Rome, Italy Santorini, Greece Stockholm, Sweden Valencia, Spain Venice, Italy Vienna, Austria Warsaw, Poland Zurich, CH
Adelaide, AU Agra, India Auckland, NZ Bali, Indonesia Bangkok, Thailand Delhi, India Dhaka, BD Doha, Qatar Dubai, UAE Guangzhou, China Ho Chi Minh, VN Hong Kong Karachi, Pakistan Kolkata, India Kuala Lumpur, MY Kyoto, Japan Lahore, Pakistan Manila, PH Mumbai, India Perth, Australia Riyadh, Saudi Seoul, Korea Singapore Sydney, Australia Taipei, Taiwan Tel Aviv, Israel Tokyo, Japan
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Our directory features the most popular locations, but our database covers the entire globe.

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Does the Moon Phase Change by Location?

Technically, no. The moon phase (the percentage of illumination) is the same for every city on Earth, from New York to Tokyo. Because the moon is so far away, everyone sees the same shadow at the same time.

However, the orientation changes completely based on your latitude. This is why a “Moon Phase by City” calculator is essential for photographers and astronomers.

Northern vs. Southern Hemisphere

This is the most dramatic difference.

  • Northern Hemisphere (US, Europe, Asia): The moon waxes (grows) from the Right to the Left. “Light on Right = Growing.”
  • Southern Hemisphere (Australia, S. America): The moon waxes from the Left to the Right. It looks upside down compared to the north!

If you are planning a trip to Sydney or Buenos Aires, expect the “Man in the Moon” to stand on his head.

Why Latitude Affects Photography

While the phase remains constant, the Ecliptic Angle (the path the moon travels across the sky) shifts drastically by city.

In cities near the equator like Singapore or Nairobi, the moon rises almost vertically, looking like a Cheshire Cat smile (a “Wet Moon”). In high-latitude cities like Anchorage or Helsinki, the moon travels low along the horizon, often appearing larger due to the “Moon Illusion.”

Planning a Shoot?

Don’t just check the phase. Learn how to capture the crater details from any latitude.

View Photography Guide →
photographing-the-moon-settings

Common Questions About Location & The Moon

Is the moon phase the same in every country?

Yes. The moon’s phase (the percentage of the surface illuminated by the sun) is identical globally. Whether you are in New York or Tokyo, you will see the exact same “Waxing Gibbous” or “Full Moon” at the same moment. The only difference is the angle at which the moon appears in the sky.

Why does the moon look upside down in Australia?

It comes down to perspective. In the Northern Hemisphere (like the USA or UK), you look “South” to see the moon. In the Southern Hemisphere (like Australia or South America), you look “North.” Because your body is effectively flipped 180 degrees relative to the moon’s position, the moon appears inverted. In the South, the moon waxes (grows) from Left to Right.

Does the moon rise at the same time in every city?

No. Moonrise and Moonset times vary drastically based on your longitude and latitude. The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day on average, but this lag changes depending on where you are on Earth. You must consult a local lunar calendar (like our city-specific pages) to get accurate photography or fishing times.

Why is the Full Moon date different on some calendars?

The “exact” moment of a Full Moon is a specific universal time (UTC). However, because of time zones, that moment might fall on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, but Wednesday morning in London. We adjust all our city data to the local time zone to ensure accuracy for your specific location.

Why does the moon look bigger in some cities?

This is an optical trick known as the “Moon Illusion.” The moon is physically the same size regardless of location. However, in cities where the moon travels low across the horizon (like high-latitude locations in Scandinavia or Alaska), the brain compares the moon to buildings and trees, making it appear massive compared to when it is high overhead.

What is a “Wet Moon” or “Cheshire Moon”?

In tropical regions near the Equator (like Singapore, Quito, or Nairobi), the moon rises almost vertically. During a crescent phase, the lit bottom curve looks like a smile or a bowl that could “hold water.” This phenomenon is rarely seen in northern cities where the moon sits at an angle.